


America the Beautiful

by ALittleTooMuch



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Angst, Depression, Drama, M/M, Nationverse, Smut, UKUS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-01 14:20:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4023091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALittleTooMuch/pseuds/ALittleTooMuch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For centuries, the nations of the world have dedicated a great deal of time towards looking for the lost personification: America. Over the years, though, they'd come to the conclusion that he, simply, didn't exist. </p><p>What the nations <em>didn't<em> know was that, deep in the heart of New York City, there was a 238 year old bartender with a LOT of questions.</em></em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Alfred F. Jones was nineteen years old. Er...Well, more precisely, he was a 239 year old _in _a nineteen year old's body. I know, I know! Things like that aren't supposed to happen, but...It was true. During his lifetime, Alfred had lived with the Puritans, fought in the Revolutionary War, both World Wars (Albeit reluctantly), and seen history unfold in front of his eyes. Of course, by the time he'd turned 100 and _still _looked like a teenager, Alfred knew that something was wrong and, as the years went on, he noticed even more 'symptoms'.____

For one, he hardly ever got sick! Well...There was a ten year period in the thirties where he was pretty worse for wear and he was pretty bad off during the Civil War, but other than that, he was pretty healthy most of the time! With the older he grew, the more stronger Alfred became, as well. At first, he had about the same amount of strength as any other person his age, but...Nowadays, Alfred would have no problem lifting up a car if need be. 

At first, he'd tried seeing doctors--not that medicine was _that _spectacular, at the time--but he was always diagnosed with a clean bill of health. Later on, after comic books came into being, Alfred was _convinced _that he was some sort of super hero! However...Well...He'd gotten arrested _one _too many times for 'interfering in police business'. Was that even _really _a thing? Pfftt! Superheroes _don't _get arrested! They get celebrated! Therefore, with much reluctance, Alfred had to conclude that he was _not _a super hero.____________

The American had spent the majority of his lifetime wondering about why the _hell _he was _still _living! Honestly, at this point, he...Hated it. Not that he was suicidal or anything like that, mind you! But...It was difficult, sometimes. In the beginning, Alfred had had friends that he loved and cared for--watching them die was the hardest thing. After that, though, he _did _learn his lesson: What was the point in becoming close to other people when you were only going to outlive them? Being immortal was...Lonely, but Alfred tried not to think of it. Maybe, some day, his body would catch up with his mind? He kind of hoped so...However, for now, that didn't seem to be the case.______

Currently, Alfred spent his days attending NYU--he was going for archeology, this time! It was his third degree, but...If you're living forever, what better to do than to study?--and his nights bartending at some club in Manhattan. It didn't pay much or anything and Alfred knew that he could do far better with all of his qualifications, but...It was simple and he liked to see all of the people that would pass through! Sure, he never really became close with any of them, but, working as a bartender gave him the opportunity to at least have _some _human interaction--people tend to spill a lot of secrets once they've had their third shot or so.__

Tonight, the club wasn't as full as usual (It was the middle of the week, though, so that was to be expected), but a small group of men managed to catch Alfred's eye as they walked into the establishment. Huh...One of them, in particular, looked _strangely _familiar..Oh! Maybe they were past costumers? With a smile, Alfred waved over the group and set about pouring some drinks.__

xxx

Arthur hated coming to this godforsaken country. Correction: he loved this godforsaken country, even now. He just hated coming here with anyone else. Like Matthew and Francis. The three of them were always strangely drawn to this country, Arthur more than any of them, though he'd never admit it. Francis often came when Arthur did, if for nothing else than to mock him and Matthew blended in surprisingly among the locals. Well enough that they often jokingly referred to this country as his other half. But it wasn't. The United States of America was an independent country that had made it's mark quite well... and it was built solely by and for humans. There was no representation that came with it, no personification to be found. And they'd looked. They'd scoured the lands, Arthur with a particular urgency. But nothing was found.

Some days he found this to be simply amazing, and he often whimsically imagined that the US was an extension of all that touched it, a pool for every nation that wished to claim it. But sometimes... he wondered if it was his punishment. Conquest was in his blood, marking territories and marking his influence across the world... And yet the colonies he'd claimed had refused to show their face, as if mocking him. They'd revolted and broken from him without him once seeing the entity he was fighting... One now deemed nonexistent. It was a heavy blow to the ego but a sobering one across the world. A nation could be formed without a personification. All they thought they'd known about their existence was tipped on it's head.

But life moved on...

"Angleterre, return to us, we have business to discuss." Arthur blinked, jerked out of his reminiscing and scowled.

"Shut it, Frog, I heard every word."

"Even the part about your endless love for me? So it _is _true..."__

"I have a bad habit of ignoring your stupidity. I heard it I just chose not to respond."

"Really? Because I didn't say it." Francis grinned and Arthur suppressed the inner urge to strangle him. Matthew, the eternal peacemaker, held up his hands, nervously, speaking in English, which Arthur knew was in a deliberate effort to calm him. 

"Il ne faut pas se faire expulser cette fois ... " stubbornly refused to reply with anything other than French, and Arthur, even though he understood it well spoke English. Matthew generally stuck to their universal language to keep the peace, but when he wanted to please one or the other he switched, and it worked well. Arthur sighed.

"I just need a pint or a beer or whatever the hell this backwards country sells these days." Francis chuckled softly.

"They love to spite Europe..." And the world. This human country operated on its own rules, only a clearer testimony to it's utter strangeness. Arthur shook his head and went to the smiling bartender. Well at the very least American men were quite easy on the eyes. 

"Just give me a Broadside."

"Il va être d'avoir plus le soir ... Francis laughed.

"Speak English dammit!" This would be a long night...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Slurred speech* Arthur's a lil' bit tipsy....More like he's drunk...

As the night weaned on, Alfred made sure to pay special attention to the patrons in the front of the bar. They were so...Weird. Honestly, Alfred knew that that was a horrible word to use to describe his thoughts, but...It was the only one that was coming to mind at the moment. It really was true! It just...Failed to really articulate what it was that seemed to be drawing him towards them. Of course, the bartender knew that he couldn't just abandon the rest of his guests, but that sure didn't mean that he couldn't steal glances in between requests!

After an hour or so, though, the customers began flooding out and Alfred wasn't sure if he'd ever been more grateful for anything in his life. Now, he could study them all a bit more... From what he could tell, there were only three of them--all blonde, each attractive, and one of which looked incredibly like himself--but they all seemed to be from different places: France, England, and...America, maybe? The third's accent was slightly off, so perhaps he was from the midwest or something. Maybe they were all diplomats? That would make sense as to why they were in New York with one another...Still, though, Alfred couldn't help but to be curious! Besides, none of them really seemed to mind him stealing glances. In fact, Alfred was 99.999% certain that he'd seen the Frenchman winking at him a couple of times when he did so!

Alfred continued to watch them as he wiped down the empty tables and, eventually, he mustered up enough courage to go over and speak to them. Throwing the towel over his shoulder, the blonde put on his best debonaire smile and walked back behind the counter. "Hey! I'm Al. What brings you guys all the way to New York?"

As he expected, the Frenchman was the first to chime in, "We come here often for business, I suppose," Sheesh! His accent was really thick! Alfred hadn't heard anything like it since the French and Indian Wars. "Although, we have never come to this establishment," The man flashed the American with a broad smirk, "Perhaps we should frequent it more often, though."

Alfred let out a laugh and he was just about to respond with something just as cheeky until the Brit--the one that had garnered Alfred's attention in the first place-- let out a drunken snort and shook his head, "Keep it in your trousers, Francis, 'm sure he's not interested in dating a total...wanker...Hah! You t-twat..You eat...Snails..." His words seemed to tap off towards the end until the man seemed to just give up. He laid his head down on the table and groaned. The bartender frowned and glanced back up to his two friends.

"Er...Is he always like this or somethin'...?"

Alfred's look-alike gave a tired sigh and shook his head, "Only when we're here. I'm sorry--Arthur always underestimates how strong American drinks can be. He always seems to think he can down a fifteen of them with no side effects." He explained with an almost exasperated look about him. Heh...It was kind of funny, actually! The guy was acting as though he was caring for some drunken, father figure, but...They looked like they were nearly the same age! Alfred supposed some people just had that kind of 'take responsibility for people you really don't need to be doing it for' personality.

Anyway, the look-alike glanced down at his watch and then appeared to be holding back another sigh, "It's getting late, too, and we've got to be ready for that meeting tomorrow. I guess we'll just have to call a cab to come and pick him up..."

Oh, darn it...Alfred was a bit disappointed that they were going to leave...He couldn't explain it, but he still felt strangely drawn to this group. Almost as if...They'd met a long time ago or they were always supposed to have met.

The Frenchie looked like he was just about to say something, but, before he could form the words, Alfred jumped in, "You know, I'm just getting ready to close up here, but...If you both need to get going, I can make sure your friend gets to his cab alright?" Oh, no...What was he doing? He sounded like a total creeper dude! What if the other, two guys thought that he was some kind of ax-murderer who just wanted to hack the poor, Brit's head off or something? Tch! After almost 300 years, you'd think that Alfred would've learned to think before he spoke.

Francis and Matthew exchanged a couple of questioning glances, but, in the end, they seemed to come to the conclusion that Alfred really wasn't much of a threat. Besides, Arthur had been to several bars on his own and, if something were to go wrong, he always knew to call; letting him be escorted to his car by a bartender was a lot more convenient than them both staying out with him until 4 in the morning trying to convince Arthur to return with either of them. With a nod, the younger-looking man hopped off of his stool and set a hand on the Englishman's back,

"Arthur? We're going to head out, okay, but...Al, you said?" He spared a quick glimpse over at Alfred before focusing back on the man beside him, "Is going to make sure that you get back okay. Don't be late tomorrow, either! The last time anyone was late for a meeting, Ludwig hacked into them for an hour before we were able to get anything done and I know how much you hate having to be there any longer than necessary."

In response, the drunken man--or, in Alfred's opinion 'wasted as hell'--grunted and forced himself to sit up. "I bloody well know how ta' take care of myself, Can-Matthew!" He cast a glance to Alfred and gave a little grin, "Though, 'Guess getting some of his help wouldn't be too bad.." The American snickered quietly, but he decided not to further comment on the compliment. After that, it didn't take long for Francis and Matthew to say their goodbyes (though, admittedly, Matthew still seemed a bit reluctant to leave) and, soon enough, the bar was filled only by Alfred and Arthur.

With a yawn, Alfred set about cleaning up the place and getting ready to shut down until he felt the other's eyes on him. Then, he stopped and cleared his throat quietly. Sheesh, what made drunk people think it was okay to stare at people?

Instantly, the Brit seemed to be tugged out of his stupor and he quickly fixed Alfred with a sheepish, somewhat saddened grin, "Ah, my apologies. You just...Well, you remind me of someone, that's all."

Alfred quirked an eyebrow at that, but he couldn't resist letting out a quiet chuckle, "Yeah?"

Arthur nodded, "Er...Not someone that I've met, per say, but...Well...You look, very much, like someone I've imagined before.."

Honestly, the bartender wasn't thrilled about looking like this guy's, imaginary friends, so...He just gave a little shrug and continued on with his cleaning.--besides, the man was probably just referring to his friend who'd come by earlier. He and Alfred looked a lot alike for some reason...

As he worked, Alfred shoved his thoughts to the side to try and focus on the task at hand. However, it didn't take him long to realize that he just couldn't shake the curiosity that was welling up in his chest in regards to Arthur. Huh...This was weird! Of course, he'd dealt with curiosity and nosiness before (It'd plagued him since childhood), but it was never directed towards any, random person! What was it about this man and his friends that was tempting Alfred to want to know more? He had absolutely, no idea, but...Well, was there any harm in trying to find out? If he didn't find anything interesting about the guy, then that'd be that, but...If he did, then Alfred would know; either way, his curiosity would be satisfied and he could go about his life never worrying about it again.

In a hurry, Alfred finished up his tidying and returned back to his spot behind the bar. Once again, he fixed Arthur with a small smile, "Well, I'm not sure when your cab's going to be here, but..." He reached into a cooler that was hidden under the counter and pulled out a soda for himself. Soon enough, he tossed a bottled water at the Brit, "I think you might as well make yourself comfortable.

Arthur only grunted in response and they both allowed a silence to settle between them. Of course, for Alfred, any silence was an uncomfortable silence and he wasn't figuring anything out just by sipping here, so...He cleared his throat quietly and smiled at him, "Sooooo..." He began, "Do you like...Cats?" It wasn't the best way to start a conversation, but it certainly seemed to do the trick.

Instantly, the Brit was off like a light. Holy cow! The entire time that he'd been watching them, Alfred hadn't noticed the man talk this much! It was probably the alcohol, though, because he was basically rambling on about nothing and everything all at once. Honestly, after about half an hour or so, the bartender just started to tune him out.

Well, tch...Obviously, that blonde guy had forgotten to call a cab. That, or he'd gotten the address wrong or something, but...Er, either way, Alfred couldn't allow Arthur to just lie, drunk, on the floor of the bar all night, could he? Perhaps, if he was lucky, the man would be capable of piecing together enough information to tell Alfred where his hotel was at. With an almost exasperated sigh, Alfred shifted to face the Brit beside him,

"Er, hey, dude! Do you know wher--" He was cut off by a pair of hands coming to rest on either side of his face. What the heck?

Arthur just kind of...Stated at him for a moment and, to be truthful, Alfred had no clue why! Was there a smudge on his classes or something or was this guy just super into looking at his face? Alfred opened his mouth to demand an answer, but Arthur beat him to the pass,

"You...'S I bet if...'f there was one that...That he'd look like...Like you..." Arthur rambled as he began gently stroking the side of Alfred's cheek like he was some kind of...Breakable, precious thing, " 'Merica'd look....look like you...I-I bet..." He shook his head gently before continuing on, "Yer' eyes are like...Sky when I--I first saw...First came 'ere..." It didn't take long for Arthur to trail off and then pass out on Alfred's shoulder.

Once the Englishman had finished his drunken tirade, Alfred blinked. What the hell had Arthur just been going on about? That totally didn't make any sense at all! Alfred was just going to assume that the slurred words had just been an attempt at flirting or trying to make some kind of a pass at him...That would make sense, right? After all, Arthur and the Frenchman had both been incredibly flirty after their first, couple of drinks.

Still, though...In the back of his mind, Alfred felt like there was more behind those words...That there was some deep, dusty secret hidden far underneath them and that, maybe, if he was diligent, he could uncover that secret...That being said, though, what if it wasn't anything that was worth knowing? Instantly, the logical, well-educated part of Alfred began gnawing away at him with a whole, new set of questions. He was only being childish. Everything that Arthur had said had been nothing more than a bad pick-up line or a failed attempt at getting Alfred to sleep with him...That was all.

Still, though...Maybe just mayb--Alfred pulled himself from his thoughts and forced himself to focus on the drunken man that was leaning against him. Well...He couldn't just leave him here, could he? And...Er, Alfred didn't have the first clue about where his hotel might be...Therefore, the safest option was probably just to take him back to his own apartment. At least, then, in the morning, Arthur could call his friends to come and pick him up and Alfred wouldn't have to be reprimanded for allowing him to sleep on the floor of the bar. With a sigh, the American hoisted Arthur up and headed out.

He didn't sign up for this...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Matthew's not going to be so shy and soft-spoken in this fic! In my opinion, because there wasn't any 'America' to be confused with, Matthew's confidence would probably be far higher than it is in the show! Therefore, he's going to be a bit more outgoing. 
> 
> Other than that, I hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter and look out for updates! Comments, criticism, and advice are always welcomed!
> 
> Also, just letting you guys know that I just found out that I'll be moving across the country, here, pretty soon! I'm going to update weekly, but there will probably be a week or two near the end of July that I'll be unable to post! As to be expected, I'll need to get myself settled and get my internet and electricity up, ect. 
> 
> Happy reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred's got questions and Arthur's got a meeting.

Chapter Text

 

Alfred's, current apartment was small and, in all honesty, he'd complained about that on _multiple _occasions. Now, though? Tch! It seemed more cramped than ever and the American was silently cursing himself for choosing the place _just _because it was located above a pizzeria. I mean...Sure! The owner was nice and it always smelled like spaghetti, but it was _way _too small to make hauling a drunk, British man a simple task._____ _

_Taking Arthur home wasn't _really _what Alfred had wanted to do in the first place, but...Hey! He was a nice guy and he new he'd get scolded for allowing him to sleep in the bar. That being said, dragging him up the stairs and maneuvering him around the apartment was a daunting task, to say the least.___

 _ _ _Sure enough, though, after twenty minutes of practically pulling Arthur along, Alfred had him lying down in bed. Sheesh! The man got all squirmy and talkative when he was drunk and Alfred was starting to worry that he'd never go to sleep! Luckily enough, though, the universe seemed to be working in his favor and, as soon as he was lying down, Arthur was out for the count. Alfred let out a long, tired sigh before he trudged back into the living room.___

 _ _ _

As soon as he'd laid down on the couch, Arthur's words began floating through his mind. 

_He would've looked like you... _Who was 'he'? Why would he have looked like Alfred? What had Arthur been thinking about when he'd said that? Ugh...__

 _ _Why was it that Arthur's words seemed to stick with him like glue or something? They were only nonsensical, drunken ramblings and yet...For some reason, Alfred felt as though they may have meant something more than that. For Alfred, the curiosity was almost overwhelming and he'd never felt anything like it! It was almost like...Like every part of his being was nudging him to find the answer... Have you ever been hit by an emotion that was so powerful that it almost knocked you right down on your ass? That's what this was for him...An unyielding, unmistakeable mix of feelings stirring up within his gut and making certain that it's presence was known. Alfred had to find the answer. He HAD to.__

 _ _

For about another hour or so, Alfred's brain went wild with hypothesis and questions and, needless to say, he didn't get much sleep that night at all. 

The next morning, Alfred was awoken by the feeling of someone staring at him. Sure enough, as soon as he'd opened his eyes, Arthur was standing there pointing in accusatory finger at him. 

_

"You know, kidnapping is a bloody _crime _where I'm from!" the Brit huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Explain yourself."__

 _ _"Wha--" It was /way/ too early in the morning to be dealing with this. Alfred groaned before forcing himself into a sitting position, "I didn't kidnap anybody! You were drunk and I didn't know where your hotel was, so I took you here and let you sleep it off."__

 _ _

Arthur seemed to take a long moment to process whether or not he wanted to believe Alfred, but...Soon enough, he did give a stiff nod, "Alright. I suppose there's no need for me to inform the police then. Where am I?" 

Reaching over to the nightstand, Alfred popped his glasses back onto his nose before he answered, "You're at my place in Upper East Side. Do you need a ride to...Heh...Wherever it is that you're supposed to be goin', dude?" 

Once again, he thought carefully before answering, "Yes, I...Well, I suppose that would be helpful and would save me the trouble of trying to hail a cab in this godforsaken city..." 

Alfred twitched at the insult--for some reason, he always took things about his country _way _too personally--but then just ignored it, "Heh, well...Just let met get myself around and we can head out. There's food in the kitchen if you wanna make something." And, with that, the blonde hopped off of the couch and headed back into the bedroom.__

 _ _Forty five minutes--and a hella lot of bickering from Arthur about New York traffic--later, the pair was parked just outside of the United Nations building.__

 _ _

"Umm...Like...Why do you need to be _here _? Aren't you a bit young to be a diplomat or something? Dude, all those guys are ancient!" Maybe Arthur was an intern..?__

 _ _Instead of giving an _actual _answer, Arthur only shrugged in response, "Thank you for the ride. It's much appreciated." He moved to open the door until he found himself with his wrist being held by Alfred. =____

 _ _ _ _"Heh..." the American swallowed and nibbled slightly on his bottom lip. Why had he done that?? He didn't _really _have any reason to keep Arthur here and...And now he just seemed like a total creeper or something like that! Honestly, Alfred knew that he should just let him go, but..."...What did you mean last night? You...You said something about me looking like someone else or something like that..." Of course, he knew the exact quote, but Alfred didn't want to freak the guy out by stating that.______

 _ _ _ _ _ _At the question, Arthur immediately jerked his hand away and stiffened, "I--Er...I don't recall, I'm sorry. I say a lot of stupid things when I've had a pint too many." He said, then practically flew out of the car.______

 _ _ _ _ _ _

Alfred was left completely flabbergasted and more than a little bit disappointed. What should he have expected, though?? The man had been drunk and he totally shouldn't have believed that he actually _knew _what he'd been talking about! Still, though...The way Arthur's entire body tensed seemed to tell a different story than what he was actually saying...Ugh! Now, Alfred only had _more _questions! Like...What did Arthur need to do at the UN? And...Who was the 'he'? And...Why wasn't he getting any answers? Of course, Alfred understood not wanting to tell all of these things to a stranger, but...____

 _ _ _ _Before he could realize what he was doing, Alfred had opened the door of his truck and hurried outside.____

 _ _ _ _

Wait! What--?! He couldn't just waltz in to the UN building with no government ID, reason to be there, or anything at all! Why was he doing this again?? The blonde paused in his quest to reassess the situation. 

Maybe...maybe he was just starting to go crazy! Maybe living so long and all on his own was finally beginning to wear at him...That would make sense, wouldn't it?? That's the only thing that could explain why he was insane enough to try and follow that guy into a government building!! Tch...Alfred needed to get some more sleep, that was all! He just needed to...Forget all about this and move on with his life and-- 

Oh no... 

Alfred bit down, hard, on his bottom lip when he noticed a small group of young men and women--three of which were Arthur and the two guys from last night--filing out of the building. 

Shit!! Alfred hurried back over and ducked behind his truck to avoid being seen. This was a really odd position to be in and that was only made worse by the fact that he could pick up bits and pieces of their conversations... 

"Bloody hell...Cameron's not going to be happy that I missed the entire meeting." Was that Arthur's voice? 

"You brought it on yourself, bastardo. Do not complain to me." came another, new voice that Alfred couldn't recognize, but he knew that the guy _kind _of sounded like Mario...__

 _ _"Amigo! Calm yourself. There is no need to take out your anger on poor Arthur!"__

 _ _

After a few more minutes of seemingly meaningless conversation, Alfred heard a few more footsteps approaching. 

"You know what _I _wish?? That America would pay me back already! _Or _, that he was here himself and I could teach him a lesson about respecting others!" Honestly, Alfred wasn't sure if this was coming from a man or a woman, but they sounded distinctly Chinese.____

 _ _ _ _Ugh...He hated hearing people say things like that! From what Alfred could tell, these were all diplomats (Albeit, really young ones) from different countries...Where was the one from America?? Why wasn't he sticking up for his country? Before he could find an answer, several more, irked sounding voices were quick to agree with the Chinese person.____

 _ _ _ _

"Da! Me as well. America and I would have _so _much to discuss!"__

 _ _"Hm..Me, too! I wasn't happy with them shutting off my internet!" Wha--Was that Kim Jon Un himself or something?? Heh...They'd totally asked for their internet to be shut off! No one messes with Sony and gets away with it!__

 _ _

"Guys, I think it's unfair to be so rude...They had their reasons!" Hey! That was Matthew! Wasn't it? His look-alike from the bar! 

"I don't really care if it's fair or not--They can be a real menace at times. Sometimes I wonder what the world would be like if they were gon--" Before this person could finish, Alfred stood up and glared. 

"Hey! Douchebags!! America hasn't done anything wrong! Why don't you listen to that guy--" Alfred pointed to Matthew and then huffed, "I mean...Sure, we've made some mistakes in the past, but for the most part, all we've done is help all of your countries! So...Put a sock in it! Got it??" 

Arthur just stared at him in shock, "Wha--Alfred?? Why did you follow me out here? Were you listening that entire time??" 

"Heh..." The blonde gave a slightly, nervous laugh and shifted, "Well, I...I was curious! I was only going to look around, but, then--" He didn't even have a chance to finish before a man with a thick, German accent spoke up. 

"Well, what should we do _now _? We don't know how much he's heard! Someone has to interrogate him." Alfred blinked and sputtered as the Chinese diplomat spoke up.__

 _ _"I agree! What if he heard something confidential?"__

 _ _

"Oh, come now, I highly doubt that he heard anything of actual consequence..." Arthur shot him a stern look. For some reason, Alfred couldn't help but to believe that he was in some kind of trouble here... 

"Yeah! I didn't! Look, guys, I really didn't, er...I didn't hear anything important! All I heard was you talking about America, that's all!" He exclaimed, holding his arms up in defense and frowning as the Russian accented man came towards him. 

"Hm...I agree! Interrogation time!" 

"Wha--No way! I don't want to be interrogated by a bunch or stran--" Alfred was cut off when the Russian reached out to try and tug him along. No, no, no! This wasn't going to work at all! Alfred hated interrogations...On multiple occasions, he'd almost spilled information about himself that could give him away! With a small grunt, he forcibly shoved the man away. 

Ivan blinked, "Strong..." Almost _too _strong if he'd been able to push him off so easily..."Why can you not simply just follow me, hm? We aren't going to hurt you, da?"__

 _ _Soon enough, Matthew frowned and hesitantly stepped forward, "Alfred, he's right--No one's going to hurt you. They just want to ask you a few questions, that's all.." he said.__

 _ _

After taking a long moment to think, Alfred reluctantly nodded. Then, though, he glared at Ivan, "Fine! I'll go and answer your stupid questions, but..." He pointed to the Russian man, "Only if he doesn't come, too!" For some reason, Alfred instantly distrusted that man...Almost like they had some kind of bad history with each other or something! Heh...That was weird... 

Nevertheless, even with Alfred's condition, Matthew nodded before gently leading him inside. "Sure...I think we can do that."

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I just wanna say thank you for all of the lovely comments! I read each and every one and they inspire me to keep writing this story!
> 
> Also, I apologize if some of the other countries look like jerks in this chapter! As Alfred gets to know them a bit better, he won't be so distrusting of them and their opinions will make some more sense.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And _the truth starts to come out just a bit...__

Given the fact that they were just outside of a prestigious, government building, finding a secure, interrogation room and a lie detector machine didn't seem to be much of a problem for these, young diplomats. That being said, it was a _huge _problem for Alfred!__

__A lie detector?? He'd never been hooked up to one of those things in his entire life, but...But what if they asked something that could give away the truth about his age?? Ugh...Honestly, after being able to conceal it for so long, Alfred _really _didn't want to be used for some kind of freaky science experiments all because he couldn't find a way to get out of this! Tch...This was going to be a major problem for him, wasn't it?___ _

____Well...Wait! Hold on just a second..._ _ _ _

____...Maybe it wouldn't be! Once, on Law and Order, this was this guy who was able to beat the lie detector because he was already so stressed that the results didn't change! Right now, 'stressed' was an understatement of what Alfred was feeling! Hopefully that wasn't all just TV fiction or something that was made up by some outlandish writer looking for a sellable story..._ _ _ _

____With a quiet gulp, the blonde was sat down onto a chair and carefully hooked up to the machine, "Heh, guys, I really don't think this is necessary...I didn't hear anything important, honest!"_ _ _ _

____Arthur sighed and gave a small shrug, "It's protocol--We can't make exceptions just because you seem to be a nice, young man. Our bosses would have our heads for a mistake like that and we can't allow that to happen. Now, just take a few, deep breaths and answer all of the questions that Kiku asks, do you understand?"_ _ _ _

____Kiku, the Japanese man who was conducting the test, looked over at Alfred for conformation. Then, the American gave a hesitant nod before clearing his throat quietly, "Yeah, yeah....I--Er....I understand well enough..."_ _ _ _

____"Splendid! Now, let's get this over with so I can go and grab a pint, shall we?" With that, Arthur plopped down into a chair and the other diplomats gathered around behind him. Then, Kiku began asking questions._ _ _ _

____"Where were you born, aru?" Oh, _great _he had to start off with a difficult one!___ _ _ _

______Of course, Alfred hesitated, "Er...Massachusetts." That was what he told everyone, anyway. Honestly, though, he didn't remember...The first thing he recalled was waking up there._ _ _ _ _ _

______"That is a..." The pause in between Kiku's words felt like an eternity of agony for Alfred, "Lie." He stated, "I'll ask again: Where were you born?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I--I..." Should he just say it? That didn't really give anything away..."...I don't know."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Kiku appeared surprised at this answer, but the machine seemed to prove it as true, so he moved on, "What is your name?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Phew! An easy one, "Alfred F. Jones."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Once again, the man nodded before continuing on, "And, how old are you, Alfred?"_ _ _ _ _ _

_______This _time the pause was stagnant. Truthfully, Alfred was one hundred and ten percent certain that everyone in the room could feel his anxiety. How was he supposed to answer that? If he lied, he'd be caught, but...If he told the truth, he'd also be caught! Ugh...He was so torn...This was like his worst nightmare coming to pass! "I--Why do you need to know that question? That's not going to help you in finding out what I know! Now, is it? Move on!" he snapped.__ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The group of diplomats were, not surprisingly, taken aback by this response. I mean...Really! They hadn't asked anything that was intrusive or any insult to Alfred's person or privacy, so why was he reacting so strongly to it? Before anyone else could speak up, Kiku frowned and did so for everyone else._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Alfred...There is no need to be offended, aru. I'm only trying to get a feel for who you are so that we can preform the proper background checks to make certain that you're not any threat to what we're trying to do here..." He explained carefully, "It is required for you to answer the question, Alfred-san, so I shall say it again: How old are you?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Alfred frowned, growing visibly more tense in his seat, "I--I'm nineteen...That's all. I'm only nineteen..." Oh, _please _, machine, work in his favor! Alfred had never wanted anything so badly in his entire life and--!___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Kiku sighed, "That is a lie. Please give us the honest answer, Alfred."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Oh no...No, no, no, no, NO! Right now, Alfred felt as though the entire world was stopping and grinding to a halt. His entire life he'd worked so hard to avoid this moment right now! He'd sacrificed relationships, his happiness, _everything _so that he wouldn't be found out! And...And _now _?? His secret was going to be uncovered all because he was too stupid to stay in his fucking truck..._____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Wait...Hold on a second! Maybe...Maybe, if Alfred was lucky, these men would think that he was only joking! Maybe they'd think that there was something wrong with the machine! I mean...Who would believe that he was really as old as he was saying that he was? Tch...He was going to get out of this scot free, after all, wasn't he??_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________After taking a long, deep breath, Alfred spoke again, "I--I'm two hundred and thirty eight years old." He stated, but then gave a small, sly grin to make it look like he was joking, "...I'll be two hundred and thirty nine on July the Fourth."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________At this, all the people in the room fell silent. Honestly, it looked as though the same thought had come over each and everyone of them at the same exact moment. What were they all thinking about? What was it that Alfred had said that had brought this occurence on? Heh...Did they not find his joke funny or something..? Tch...Politians always _were _sticks in the mud...___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________For a while, the entire group continued to stay quiet. Heh...If he wanted to, Alfred was certain that he could he a pin drop if he wanted to! What were they all even doing? Truthfully, to Alfred, it looked like they were all doing some kind of math in their heads...Maybe piecing together some kind of puzzle?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________The blonde was tugged away from his thoughts when Arthur carefully stood up out of his chair and looked dangerously over at Kiku, "...What's the machine say..?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Kiku seemed to know exactly what the group was thinking, too, because, right at that moment, he looked at Alfred like his face was shining or something like that! "I-It says that he's telling the truth, Arthur-san...He is not lying..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Instantly, the lifeless room sprang to life with chatter and excitement and even an air...Confusion. Was that just emanating from himself, though? Honestly, Alfred wasn't sure! What were these guys _talking _about?? Before he even realized what was happening, Alfred found himself being yanked out of his chair and dragged into another room.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________"Hey! What's the big idea? What was all that back there? Dudes! Come on! You can't just drag me around and not tell me anythi--AH!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Arthur slammed him back against the wall and glared, but...There was more behind that scowl than just frustration. Hurt maybe? A lifelong amount of sadness and confusion and...And anger?? "I--It was _you _! All this bloody time, it was you! You, the unfaceable being that I've been fighting against! Th-The helpless, unorganized colonies that I brought to life! Why didn't you ever show your face? _Why _?!"_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________How could this happen? How...How after hundreds of years could America just show up out of the blue like this? Where was he when Arthur needed his help? Or...Or when he needed to scream at him for being a spoiled, rotten brat or for being in too much debt! Where was he when he _needed _him?? Was this all really just his punishment for taking over lands that weren't his? Did the universe hate him so much as to do something so cruel? Had America been hiding on purpose? Did he know who he was? He had to! He had to, didn't he?___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Subconsciously, the Brit tightened his grip on Alfred and Kiku sighed from behind him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Even though he could easily get out of this hold, Alfred felt something for this man..."I--I'm sorry...Look, dude, I really don't...I don't know what you're talking about!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________At Alfred's words, Arthur seemed to look over at Kiku for some kind of conformation or denial. However, when there was none to be given, the Japanese man only shrugged as if to say that he was as clueless as Alfred was, "You--We have a lot of explaining to do then..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________The American gave a slight nod before clearing his throat, "Heh...That sounds great, but...Do you think that you could let me go before you do that..?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________For a moment, Arthur seemed to look pretty confused about what Alfred could've possibly meant by that, but...Then, once it clicked, the man sputtered and quickly pulled away, "Ah, yes! Yes, of course! my apologies, I...I don't usually take to behaviors such as those!" The man sniffed and straightened his posture up, "I _am _known as a gentleman after all."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________"Hah!" Alfred snorted and then laughed, "Oh, yeah, buddy, I'm sure you are! I mean...It's _totally _normal for a perfect gentleman to get so wasted at someone's bar that the bartender has to carry them home with them!"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________Arthur let out a long, melodramatic sigh, "Well...I never said I was 'perfect'," He mused, leading Alfred and Kiku down a hallway and into another, private room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, but I really wanted to go ahead and get this written before the pressures of everyday, week life set in! XDDD Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I hope the realization wasn't _too _overdramatic! I was trying to make it stand out without being like...Some huge, cosmic event or something like that! XDD Well, anyway, happy reading!__


	5. Quick Update!

Hey, guys! I'm so sorry for the delay in the next chapter! I actually had it written, but then my computer crashed and now I have to redo the entire thing! That being said, I'm also in the middle of a family vacation until Friday! Then, straight after that, on Sunday afternoon, I'm flying to a new state and moving into my own apartment! I'm really sorry for the delay, but new chapters should be back once a week, every week, as soon as I get settled! I'm assuming that there will be something new up by next weekend! 

I love each and every one of you and thank you all so much for your comments, kudos, and support! ^-^ You guys inspire me to keep writing and I promise that this fanfiction won't be left hanging or something like that! 

Also, I'm in the market for a cowriting for this story and one other! I enjoy roleplaying a ton, so I was thinking that working with a fellow roleplayer on a story could be a ton of fun! If anyone's interested, just comment here and we can exchange emails! 

Love you!

~ALittleTooMuch


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred finally gets some answers. _Finally _.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! So, I'm finally back after moving across the country! I'm finally settled into my apartment and have gotten myself into the routine of my new job! I'm really psyched to be able to start writing this story again! Just so you know, updates will be on a bi-weekly basis, but the occasional extra chapter or so might pop up, so be on the look out! Also, thank you all so much for sticking with me even after a month of hiatus!
> 
> Love you all!
> 
> Happy reading! 
> 
> ~ALittleTooMuch

Alfred blinked down at the large folder in front of him. The bold, bright red word 'Classified' was glaring back at him and Alfred, once again, had to glance back up to Matthew to make sure that it was safe to read. 

Of course, the other blonde sighed and gave a nod--this had been the forth time the American had done this--and gestured towards the file, "Alfred, it's important. You have permission to read it and you've got to do it anyway..." He told him, "It's easier than one of us _actually _trying to explain it or something."__

__Alfred anxiously chewed on his bottom lip and nodded. Fuck...This was so nerve-wracking! What could be inside of this thing that was so important?? Just as he was about to open it and find out, Arthur and Kiku burst through the door._ _

__The Englishman lent back against it and panted, "Bloody hell...I swear, they're all about to start a riot out there!"_ _

__"Yes, they are very angry and confused...Matthew-san, has this all been explained to Alfred?"_ _

__Matthew sighed, giving a small shake of his head, "He was just about to read it...I'll go and keep the others at bay," He said before slipping past Arthur and out of the door._ _

__Alfred lent forward in his seat to try and get a peek of the ruckus that was going on outside the room. However, with Arthur standing where he was, he found himself unable to catch a glimpse of anything...Damn it. He'd just have to read the file...With careful, steady hands, Alfred flipped over the cover and then blinked. Looking back at him was a picture of one of the people he'd seen outside and, underneath the picture, was all of his information:_ _

__The Kingdom Of Prussia:_ _

__Human Characteristics:_ _

__Name: Gilbert Beilshmidt_ _

__Age: 20_ _

__Height: 177cm (5'9'')_ _

__

__Nation Characteristics:_ _

__Founded: 1547_ _

__Date Dissolved: 1947_ _

__Government: Monarchy, Republic_ _

__Currency: Reichsthaler_ _

__Language Spoken: German, Polish_ _

__

__Alfred glanced over the information and frowned. He'd seen this man...Why was he labeled as 'The Kingdom Of Prussia'? Confused, he glanced up to Arthur and Kiku for an answer._ _

__Arthur frowned and massaged his temples. Then, after taking a deep breath, he gently tugged the folder from Alfred, "We're not...We're not humans, Alfred, we're nations...It's hard to explain, but...See, look..." he pulled out a sheet of paper with his own face on it, "My human name is Arthur Kirkland, but, really, I'm the personification of Great Britain..." He pointed to Kiku, "This is Japan, Matthew is Canada, and, you...Well...We think you are America."_ _

__At first, Alfred just...Blinked. Then, he laughed. And laughed. And, after that, he just laughed some more. "...Bull shit!! How's that possible, huh? Countries are just...Pieces of land with governments a-and people! They're not...Well, they're not /actual/ people!!" The blonde moved to stand out of his seat, "I don't know what kind of weird cult this is, but, no thanks, I'm not interested. You're going to have to find someone else to be your, er...America?" He shook his head._ _

__Ugh...This was ridiculous! Here, Alfred had thought these people might've had an _actual _answer for him, but...They were just a bunch of crazies who didn't know anyth--"Hey!" the blonde frowned when he felt Arthur take a hold of his wrist, narrowing his eyes in warning, "...Lemme' go!"___ _

____Arthur shook his head quickly, "Why do you think you've lived for so long, hm?? Why do you think you've been involved in _every _major event in American history? Why do you care so much about your land or why do your opinions change along with that of your people?" He challenged, his own eyes narrowing to match Alfred's, "You may think that we're simply insane, but...If you choose not to believe us, then you're the one missing out. You'll never find the answers that you're looking for and you'll just...Continue. You'll continue like you have for almost three hundred years and you'll continue to lose everyone you ever cared about..." Alfred winced and focused his gaze on the floor as the Brit went on, "I know that you don't want that...In fact, you don't even _deserve _that...You deserve to live amongst other people who will have lifespans as lengthy as yours will be...You need to be around others who understand your feelings and, do you know what? You accepting who you are would be beneficial to your people...Do you want to let them down?"_____ _ _ _

________Alfred tensed at the question, pulling his wrist away from Arthur and turning away, "I--I don't know...Just...I don't know." He stated, then hurried out of the room. Ugh...He was beginning to get a headache and, right now, all Alfred wanted to do was to go home and sleep...Unfortunately for him, though, Matthew--er...Canada? Darn it all! He wasn't sure...--Stopped him on his way._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Alfred! Where are you going? Did Arthur explain it to you?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Yeah, he did. I'm going home." Was all he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Matthew, obviously confused, glanced around to some of the other countries before following, "Wait! Why are you leaving? You're needed here!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"I don't know that! You guys could all just be completely insane!" For a brief moment, Alfred stopped to take a deep breath, "Look...I--I like you, I really do! You seem like a nice guy, but...I don't know if I'm buying into all of this...I mean...How could you be Canada? You don't look any older than I do! You're probably just some college student who's playing pretend, but...but I _really _have to live like this!"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Canada frowned and chewed on his bottom lip as he thought, "Look...I--I can prove it to you! Just...Just give me the weekend. If, by the end of it, you _still _don't believe me, then...Then, myself and he rest of us will never talk to you again! We'll leave you be..."___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________For a long moment, Alfred thought over this proposal, but...Really, what did he have to lose? It sounded better than having them follow him around all of the time, "...Fine. One weekend." He stated._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Then, the next thing Alfred knew, he was stuck on a plane headed straight to London seated in between Arthur, Matthew, and Francis._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________...What had he gotten himself into, exactly??_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He was _so _going to regret this...___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Hope you all enjoyed! Just so you know, if you're interested in seeing some of my hetalia fan art or asking some questions, feel free to hit me up at Ask-scientist-Alfred.tumblr.com! My ask box is open!


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